Sailing-chatting-classic boat owners on the video channel broadcasting in the UK and around the world

myclassicboat.com founder Bob Aylott

After shooting stills for magazines and art galleries for the last 6 years. I decided it was time for a new venture and all I had to do was change the camera settings to video.For months I'd been shooting stories in The Solent and East Coast in readiness for the launch. So far no one I've asked to participate has refused. I thank everyone for their patience, even when we got to 'Take 12'.

I must mention the help I’ve had from my old friends and colleagues, Dick Durham and Mike Barnes. They have been an important part in the start of this site.

It takes time to build a new brand, but I'm determined to bring new stories and videos every month. This site is more than just pretty pictures of boats crashing through waves. It's about telling boat owners stories, their skippers, crews and everyone involved in the business. We're looking forward to telling your stories with talking pictures and moving images. (Bob Aylott Fareham May 2016)

Bob Aylott worked as a press photographer for the national newspapers, Daily Sketch, Daily Mail, National Enquirer and Daily Star in a Fleet Street career which lasted almost 40 years. Among the scores of accolades received, he was British News Photographer of the Year in 1968 and won the Colour Picture Story of the Year in 1971 for his images from the Cholera Camps in war-torn India. He also collected a World Press Award for his 1976 prison pictures of killer Charles Manson.

He has travelled the world on news and feature assignments including the Troubles in Northern Ireland (1969-71) and chasing the fugitive Great Train Robber, Ronnie Biggs, around Brazil (1974). He has worked in the Middle and Far East, India, Africa, USA, South America and the South Pacific. He is a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society and was the features editor on a major national photographic magazine for seven years.

Since 2009, Bob has been shooting landscapes in the area of his home town of Fareham in Hampshire. As a writer/photographer he is regularly commissioned by Yachting Monthly magazine.

Photographs from his Fleet Street career are available as limited edition fine art prints. His book, Six Days That Rocked the World and the retro images from the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival and marine images can be bought via the website http://www.fingerprint.gallery

My Classic Boat and the Old Gaffers Association have now linked together for an exciting future. The new relationship will aim to jointly promote My Classic Boat and the OGA via respective web sites and Facebook pages.

My Classic Boat founder, Bob Aylott said from his Fareham base, ‘It's great jumping into the boat with the OGA. We’re both sailing in the same direction and linking this way can only be good for pushing both outlets forward. The end result will be many more exclusive video stories about OGA members.’

Beverley Daley-Yates, OGA Editor ,Log and online, said. 'The OGA is delighted to be working with ‘My Classic Boat’ to shoot and share video tales online. We look forward to developing these links to promote both organisations with more stories published in the coming months'.

You’ll get a different answer to that question from everyone you ask. But at least most of the classic yacht clubs are strict in their definitions. For example, if you are interested in becoming a full member of The British Classic YC. The minimum size of yacht is 30ft (9.15m) length on deck. The hull can be wood or metal and the design date is pre 1970. For owners of smaller classic boats, like myself, they do have another section.

But now there are ‘plastic classics’. While recently shooting photos of a Mystery 35 and a Swan 411, both skippers insisted their boats were modern classics. Some owners of the Contessa 32, regard their boat among the new plastic classic brigade.

As for this site, if she’s old, vintage, interesting, unusual and you love her, then we are interested whatever size and age she may be. It's your stories we want to tell.